[Photo Report] A wide variety of modern combat planes (including strategic bombers) at Red Flag 12-4 at Nellis Air Force Base

Published on: August 27, 2012 at 8:00 PM

Although the Colombian Air Force detachment was, at least for aircraft spotters, the highlight of Red Flag 12-4, many other interesting assets took part to the world’s most realistic exercise.

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During Red Flag 12-4 more than 70 aircraft belonging to the following U.S. forces departed Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas:

48th FW. 493rd FS. F-15c’s from RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom.
388th FW. 421st FS. F-16CM’s from Hill AFB, Utah.
23rd Wing. 74th FS. A-10C’s Moody AFB, GA.
5th BW. 34th BS. B-52’s from Minot AFB, N.D.
28th BW. 34BS. B-1B’s from Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
Marine Tact Electronic Warfare Squadron 3. EA-6B’s from MCAS Cherry Point, N.C.
U.S. Navy Electronic Attack Sqd 209. EA-6B’s from Joint base Andrews, Md.
53rd W. 422nd Test and Evaluation Sqd. F-16CJ’s from Nellis AFB, NV.
53rd W. 85th Test and Evaluation Sqd. F-16CJ’s from Nellis AFB, NV.
552nd ACW. 964th ACS. From Tinker AFB, Okla.
432nd W. 15th Reconnaissance Sqd. RQ-1’s from Creech AFB, NV
92nd ARW. 93rd and 92nd ARS. KC-135R’s from Fairchild AFB, Wash.

In addition to the U.S. aircraft, the United Arab Emirates flying F-16s (and, obviously, the Colombian Air Force).

Image credit: The Aviationist’s Tony Lovelock

If you want to know what a Red Flag’s mass launch from Nellis Air Force Base looks like, watch this video (theaviationist.com)
An unusual visitor at Nellis Air Force Base: Obama’s Air Force One, world’s most heavily defended plane (theaviationist.com)
[Photo Gallery] Colombian Air Force Kfir combat planes at their first Red Flag ever (theaviationist.com)
Photo: air-to-air with the Colombian Air Force Kfirs in the Nevada Test and Training Range during the Red Flag (theaviationist.com)
Russian Air Force to take part in next Red Flag exercise. Who’s gonna play the Aggressor role? (theaviationist.com)
[Exclusive Report] Colombian Air Force Kfir jets at their very first Red Flag. Beware: air-to-air photographs inside. (theaviationist.com)
Video: Red Flag night launch and recovery time lapse (spanning about 5 hours or so in just 3 minutes). (theaviationist.com)
Too cool to be true: a night sortie on board the B-52 Stratofortress. As seen through the Night Vision Goggles (theaviationist.com)
Two Russian Strategic Bombers to fly in the U.S. next year. And two B-52s to return the visit. (theaviationist.com)

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By David Cenciotti

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David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.